Adaptions In Ectothermic And Endothermic Animals To Extreme

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enzyme rate inside the body will go into sharp decline. This is because enzymes are proteins, and become denatured. One of the first organs to be affected is the brain. Since the brain controls breathing and the circulation, the rise in body temperature disrupts the normal functioning of these important systems.
If the body temperature decreases dramatically (hypothermia) then this will slow metabolic activity and impairs brain function.
Here is a graph to show the relationship between the body temperature and environmental temperature for a cat (endotherm) and a lizard (ectotherm)





Also we need to clarify what is meant by an extreme climate. In this investigation I will be using two different climates, The Desert and The Arctic

When an endotherm is subjected to severe cold it is liable to lose heat energy but this can be counteracted in a number of ways;

„h It could raise the hairs into a more vertical position by the contraction of the erector pili ...

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skin and blood.
„h Panting occurs. In some animals there are no sweat glands except in the pads of the paws. Thus they pant which speeds up evaporation from the lungs, pharynx and other moist areas helping to cool blood.
„h Metabolic rate decreases, so less energy is generated by the body

Arctic Polar Bears (Thalarctos maritimus)
Polar bears have successfully adapted to one of the world's most inhospitable climates, and remain active throughout the harsh winter. They are found on the sea ice of the Arctic throughout the North Polar basin.
The creamy white fur of the polar bear is especially dense and each of the individual hairs is hollow and contain ...

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